A Blessed Curse
by tickledpink92
Summary: Set in late 19th century New York City, a young, wealthy socialite finds herself taken by her handsome yet underprivileged tutor. Complications surface and misfortunes arise as the two struggle to make sense of a love that shouldn't be.
1. Chapter 1

11/07/2011

**Hello there! So I've had this idea for awhile and I've finally got around to writing it! I love historical fiction and I love Ezria and one day I thought, why not bring them together? Because I'm writing in a different historical context, the circumstances that make the relationship forbidden will be different! Know that there'll be some historical inaccuracies because I can't be bothered to look every detail up lol, but I will try to stay true to the period I'm writing in (using the Luxe series as a reference). Enjoy reading loves! x**

_September 1899_

Aria Montgomery was a daughter of wealth and royalty, a figure of envy amongst the socialites of New York City. She had been born into luxury while many of her contemporaries were nouveau riche. Aria's porcelain beauty was ever present, and if all this was not reason enough for the resentment she received, Aria was not conceited. There was nothing wrong with her, and this in itself infuriated the other young women of class.

Being the object of such jealousy and distaste failed to vex Aria in the slightest, for she preferred books to people anyway. Though she attended the routine balls and social functions, dancing with whosoever asked her, and capably carrying out small conversations, her scene was at home in her library quarters. The conversations never went past the balls, the suitors never past the dance floor. Lately, her mother had become more insistent that Aria court at least a couple of the many eligible bachelors who asked her hand in dance. She knew it was because she was seventeen, the ripe age of marriage. But she could never bring herself to flirt back or accept the offers of any suitors.

It wasn't that she disliked men, or people in general, it was just that she disliked the people she knew. Perhaps it was simply her social circle she didn't fit into, for she got along quite well with her French maid, Genevieve and her tutor, Mr. Templeton. Genevieve was practically a second mother, while Mr. Templeton, one of the kindest old souls she'd had the good fortune of meeting. Unfortunately for her, Mr. Templeton had had to quit his position recently. His elderly wife had acquired tumelisis and the doctor advised him to move to the countryside, where the clean air would heal. In truth, the old man could not afford medical treatment in the city and like many others of his stature, was forced to retire to the country where the medical practitioners were undereducated yet affordable. Aria had offered to pay for the treatment out of her inheritance grant and vehemently so, but the proud man would have none of it.

Hence, here she was today, on this miserable September day, dreading the arrival of her new tutor. She tried to keep an open mind, but she couldn't imagine a tutor as intelligent and caring as Mr. Templeton had been. On top of that, she'd heard her new tutor was young, not much older than she was. What new things could this young man teach her that she didn't already know? Or did her parents assume he was inevitably smarter being male?

Aria lay on her Venetian bed, shaking her head at the unfairness of it all as Genevieve walked in. Opening the blinds, she smiled down at Aria, kissing her creased forehead.

"Good morning, Miss Aria!" Her heavy French accent had taken some getting used to, but by now Aria could mimic it precisely if asked.

"You know you should have been up already, your new tutor will be here in an hour! Never mind, we will just have to work quicker today. You wash up while I fetch a chemise and a comb."

The maid hustled about the room as Aria lay grumbling on the bed.

"Gene, ten more minutes, please? Please?" She attempted pouting.

Genevieve laughed and threw back the covers, leaving Aria shivering in her white nightgown. Giving her a dirty look, Aria unwillingly got off her bed and attended to nature. When she came back, Genevieve sat her down on the chair in front of the armoire, and began braiding Aria's dark, chestnut hair.

With the help of her always-merry maid, Aria managed to get dressed in record time. Her tutor had already arrived for she could hear her younger sister, Madeleine, flirting away shamelessly. No one seemed to have a problem with her younger sister's incessant flirting, likely because she was still a child of twelve. Then again, if their mother was to see Maddie's exchange with a lowly tutor, she would likely get a scolding. Aria worried about her little sister's future, her wild behavior was not a good match for her blond locks and baby blue eyes. Anyone could see that Maddie would blossom into a beautiful woman, and when that time came, Aria would likely be married off. The socialites who loathed her previously would find a new, far more entertaining victim to ridicule and rumor about.

Aria made her way down the spiraled stairs in a simple pale blue gown, fitted at the bodice and trailing into an Elizabethan inspired train. She saw her little sister holding out an expectant hand to the new tutor. She watched as he bent down to kiss it and shook her head in mock despair. The girl showed no promise.

"Maddie, you're a child for God's sake, would you stop enticing older men and hurry on to the carriage? William is waiting ever so patiently. You'll be late for school if you don't run along."

Maddie only laughed as she walked away to meet their driver, while the tutor started at the sound of Aria's voice. He turned to face her and she saw exactly what she expected. A young man of about twenty-three dressed in a scholarly vest atop a crisp white shirt and ironed trousers. Only she hadn't expected him to be so handsome. Which wasn't a good thing, it only made her dislike him more. Handsome boys were usually too arrogant for her liking.

"You must be Miss Aria Montgomery." He said with his hands in his pockets.

"Affirmative."

"I'm Ezra-" He began.

"Fitz, yes I know. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Mr. Fitz." Her face and her flat tone said it was anything but a pleasure.

"You can call me Ezra," He said, making his way over to her "if you like."

"Mr. Fitz," She said firmly. "Shall we head to the library? We don't have much time to waste." As if it was his fault she had been late.

Aria wondered why she was acting like this. If she was honest, it was because his attractiveness had thrown her off. She hadn't expected to be attracted to this man but she was. And that angered her because she was determined not to like him.

"Lead the way, Miss Montgomery."

He slurred her name as he said it, almost in a teasing way. She ignored it and proceeded on towards the library. Upon opening the latched wooden door, she heard an audible gasp behind her.

"This is…brilliant." Mr. Fitz said, looking around in awe. Rows and rows of bookshelves adorned the walls, while a cosy sofa set sat near the fireplace. In the middle of the room was a large desk, with two chairs on either end. Aria watched as he walked around the room in a daze, running his fingers along the rows of books. He looked like he was in heaven.

Aria gave a little cough, and he turned to face her with an apologetic face.

"Sorry, I get a bit carried away in libraries. Especially such ones of such grandeur." Glancing around once more, he noticed a record player in the corner of the room. "Do you mind if we play some music in the background? I always find classical music to be stimulating while I'm reading or teaching lessons."

Aria didn't mention that she too played music while reading, because voicing their common interests would likely lead to further conversation and soon she'd find herself taking a liking to him. Which she didn't want. It felt like betrayal to Mr. Templeton.

"That's fine." She said crisply and sat down at the desk, reclining in her leather chair.

Mr. Fitz put on a track she had never heard before, and she looked at him questioningly as he sat down on the chair opposite her.

"It's mine." He said with a shrug.

Aria wondered why a tutor owned a record, surely he couldn't afford a phonograph?

"It's nice." She said. She thought it was beautiful and melodic but he didn't need to know that.

"Alright, so I thought I'd start off by giving you this novel. I figure you can have it read by tomorrow and then we'll discuss the themes and the author's writing style."

"By tomorrow?" Aria asked.

Mr. Fitz nodded.

"Because I'm some dainty little rich girl with nothing important to do, so I must have time to start and finish a book by tomorrow, is that right?"

He looked at her with his mouth slightly ajar. Was she pulling his leg?

"No, I-Mr. Templeton told me that you could finish a novel within a matter of hours and that I should assign readings with this in mind. I didn't think it'd be an issue but if you-"

"You met with Mr. Templeton?" Aria interrupted.

"Yes." Mr. Fitz said slowly. "Don't get angry, I thought I'd just get a better idea of how I should approach our lessons if we met."

"Why would I be angry?" Aria asked.

"Well, I can't seem to say anything right." He replied with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh. I'm sorry that I've been, you know, behaving the way I have. It's completely unladylike and not like me at all." She said meekly.

"That's quite alright. I knew it wasn't really you. The Aria that Mr. Templeton spoke of was an intelligent, kind young woman." Mr. Fitz gave her a half smile. "It's my fault really, who can't blame you for acting irrationally around such a clever, handsome and modest man? You don't come around those very often."

For a second Aria looked shocked.

"I was just making a joke, I am so sorry-"

The sudden burst of laughter cut him off, and soon he joined in. Aria wiped tears from her eyes as Ezra gazed at her, shaking his head.

"You know, I don't know if I should be offended, the fact that you find my little joke so humourous. Am I really that dreadful?"

Aria blushed, shaking her head vigorously. "Not at all." She said, regretting immediately how quickly she had replied. How unbecoming. She hoped her cheeks weren't too red.

"Shall we take a look at the book?" Mr. Fitz asked, oblivious to her ordeal.

Aria took it from his hands and read out the title. "Sense and Sensibility. By A Lady…was this written by a woman?"

"Yes." Mr. Fitz said in surprise. "Haven't you read any books by women?"

"Well, Mr. Templeton tried to get his hands on one for me but couldn't. They're rare. How did you find this?" She asked in wonder.

"I make it a point to find things I know I'll like." He answered, staring into her eyes.

Aria's cheeks felt the brunt of his words, and she scolded herself for blushing. Men of lower class were never bold with women of her stature, so surely she was just imagining that the intensity of his gaze meant something.

Mr. Fitz cleared his throat and broke their gaze. "Right. So let's get started on the mathematics. I've written up a review sheet so I can figure out what level you're on." He handed her the paper and she began.

Aria worked diligently and neared the end of the questions before she found herself stumped on a question about differential equations. She frowned, trying to recall if she had learned this before when she noticed a figure beside her.

"Which question is it?" Mr. Fitz asked. He'd gotten up from his seat and now stood next to her. Within very close proximity, one might add.

She put her index finger on the question. Mr. Fitz brought his to it as well. His long, masculine finger beside her petite, slender one. They both stared at their fingers, breathing heavily.

"Aria!" The both of them quickly took their hands away and moved so as to leave some distance between them, as her mother's footsteps got louder.

"Aria! There you are." Mrs. Montgomery said, bursting into the library. "You need to get ready now, Thomas Pettyfer and Elizabeth Orleans have publicly announced their engagement. The party is tonight."

"Mother," Aria groaned. "Must I go? I'm not finished my lesson yet." _And I want to spend more time with my tutor who I secretly and shamelessly fancy, _Aria added silently.

"Aria, this is Elizabeth Orleans we're talking about here, the two of you used to attend Miss Collins School Of Manners together. And now you're both grown up and she's getting married."

Her message was as plain as day. Here was horrid Elizabeth tying the knot while Aria hadn't even a courtship to her name.

"You will meet Genevieve in your room now. Pick out something a little more daring today, would you? Perhaps a more low-cut dress. The suitors won't line themselves up, you know."

"Mother!" Aria gasped, catching a glimpse of a crimson faced Mr. Fitz. She couldn't believe her mother had said those words in front of him. Well, in all honesty, she could. Mrs. Montgomery thought no more of the tutor than she did of William or Genevieve-he was only a part of the help. She would have never dared utter such things in front of Elizabeth Orleanses or Thomas Pettyfers.

With a wave of her hand, Aria's mother left the room. Barely able to look at Aria, Mr. Fitz gathered his things and stood up.

"Well, I'd better go. I understand if you don't manage to finish _Emma_ by tomorrow, you're in for a busy night it seems." He gave her a little smile and headed towards the door.

"Thanks for…today." Aria called as he left.

He turned around to smile once more and waved goodbye. Aria watched as he walked down the spiral stairs and grudgingly made her way up to her room to a very impatient Genevieve.

By the time she had gotten ready, it was near nightfall. Becoming pretty was an exhausting experience. After Genevieve fastened the last of the bobby pins in Aria's updo, she stood her in front of the mirror. The beautiful woman staring back stunned them both.

Genevieve clasped her hands together and wiped a fake tear saying, "You always look lovely Miss Aria, but tonight, you look like a beautiful princess."

And she did. Aria was a sight to behold. Her luscious hair was done up with tiny curls escaping here and there, whilst her face held a touch of rouge to emphasize her youth and vitality. Her gown was exquisite and the most beautiful thing she had ever worn. (_It's the dress in my avatar. For a larger image,_ _check out the link in my profile! It's gorgeous, completely worthy of a visit to my profile. I wish I owned it.)_

A thought occurred to Aria, and she turned to her trusty maid in horror. "Gene, I can't wear this! I will be the most dressed up, likely more so than the actual bride-to-be! Can you imagine how much more they will hate me after tonight?"

"Miss Aria, relax. You will ruin the make up."

Aria gave her a pointed look. Genevieve laughed.

"Trust me, everyone will look as fancy as you do tonight. Besides Elizabeth, none of your other friends are engaged. What she's done by getting engaged first, is how you say…"

"Catastrophic?" Aria suggested.

"Yes," Genevieve nodded. Aria knew she understood. "All the other girls and their mothers especially, are now competing to snatch the most eligible suitors."

Sighing, Aria realized Genevieve was right. She smoothed out the front of her dress and took in a deep breath before heading to the hallway and descending the stairs.

Halfway down, she realized there were a pair of eyes staring at her. Looking up, she saw Mr. Fitz. His mouth was agape and he sported a look of pure amazement.

"Aria! My dear, I almost thought you'd fallen asleep up there." Her father, who stood beside her tutor, laughed good-naturedly. He hadn't noticed Mr. Fitz's expression, but by now it had vanished anyway.

"I was just talking to your tutor here while I waited for you ladies. He's quite bright for such a young lad." Her father said, patting Mr. Fitz on the back.

Mr. Fitz smiled at him and excused himself. "I think I'd better go now. It was a pleasure speaking with you, sir. I'll see you tomorrow, Aria."

Upon his departure, Aria and her father moved to sit by the fireplace. She took out Mr Fitz's copy of Sense and Sensibility while a maid handed her father that day's newspaper. By the time her mother and Madeleine came down, the hour had past and Aria was nearly done her novel. Reluctantly, she put down the book and the four of them left for the carriage.

The ride to the Thomas' estate was a long, winded one and without a book to keep her company, Aria was left to stare out the window. New York city was enchanting at night, and even more so alive than it was during the day. They passed the main district, comprised of shops of all kind, from clothes to stationary, and made a detour through some of the less affluent parts of town. Aria watched with envy as they drove by these quiet neighbourhoods, because these people were likely sleeping inside while she was being forced to attend a tedious engagement ball for a cruel girl she couldn't care less for.

One house in particular caught her eye, because there were people outside. She saw a man pushing a child on a tire swing, while a woman looked on from the doorway to their home. As the carriage grew nearer to the house, Aria caught a better profile of the little family. The woman was young and very pretty, while the child looked absolutely delighted to be spending time with the young father who pushed him. Aria turned her attention to the man, and suddenly felt her smile disappear…it was the object of her growing infatuation, it was Mr. Fitz.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone! I want to thank each and every one of you who read the first chapter and especially those who reviewed it. You all warm my heart with your kind words! I've enabled anonymous reviews, so you can comment even if you don't have an account. Note: I noticed a couple of errors in the first chapter so I made sure to proofread this one. However, it's 4am and I doubt I did a good job lol, so sorry if there are any. Enjoy chapter two! x**

The sun peaked out of the horizon as Aria fell asleep the night of the engagement soireé from hell. Though the Montgomery family had resigned early after Maddie feigned ill (due to much begging on Aria's part), they'd stayed long enough for Aria to deem it as such.

_Earlier that night. _

The Montgomerys arrived fashionably late, as the most anticipated guests of the evening. Upon entering the grand hall, Aria saw right away that she was the most overdressed, despite the overly lavish dresses the other girls wore. She detected the gawking eyes and the not-so-discreet whispers but did not address them, knowing full well the bride-to-be was among them. She could only imagine Elizabeth's reaction to being upstaged by her nemesis on such an occasion. Aria felt horrible about it, but there was nothing she could do. Certain she'd be poisoned before the night was over, she made a mental note not to try any of the food. She set out to make the obligatory rounds, following in the shadows of her mother.

As one can imagine, Ella Montgomery was on a high that night, for the suitors were many and it appeared that her primary grievance- the fear of a spinster daughter-would be no longer. Young men, bright men, and tedious men alike pursued Aria, begging for a dance with the belle of the ball. At one point, Aria found herself in the arms of the infamous Ellison Werther, a man notorious for drinking his inheritance away. He was a forty year old bachelor and a disgrace to his family. Aria had no idea why he was there, but more importantly, why he had taken notice of a girl twenty-three years his junior. Her questions remained unrequited as Aria accepted his hand, powerless to say no.

As they danced, Aria frantically searched the hall for her mother or Maddie- anyone who could save her from this plight. But her eyes only met the vile ones of Elizabeth Orleans. Elizabeth stood near the corridor, surrounded by her little clique of socialites. The lot of them watched Aria and the drunkard, smiling in obvious satisfaction as Ellison moved in closer than acceptable, planting obscene slurs in her ear with drunken breath. It was Maddie who eventually came to her rescue, stomping on Ellison's left foot when no one was looking before whisking her sister away. Afterwards, the two made a beeline for the loos, only to be stopped by their niggling mother who introduced Aria to yet another law graduate of Yale. Aria had not a moment of peace after that. The only positive thing about the continuous series of Waltz and Ballroom dances she had to endure, was that she had hardly any time to think about Mr. Fitz.

Henceforth, it wasn't until later that night, after they'd headed home that Aria's thoughts drifted to her handsome tutor. She ran through a myriad of possibilities on who the woman and boy could be besides his wife and child. Before she knew it, it was dawn. She managed an hour's sleep until she awoke to warm sunlight tingling her skin.

After a hearty breakfast of rich pancakes with molasses, warm milk and Genevieve's famous French toast, Aria sat down to finish _Sense and Sensibility._ As she neared the last pages of the novel, a realization dawned on her: Mr. Fitz bore no ring. Not that it meant anything for her, obviously but it was nice to know he was still available. Even if she couldn't have him. Perhaps today she would even ask him about the boy and the woman, it would give them an opportunity to talk about life outside the library.

But Aria didn't get that chance because Mr. Fitz never came that day. She spent an entire two hours waiting for his arrival before retiring to the sitting room, where her mother and sister sat sewing. Aria contemplated sending William to find out if everything was alright but she knew her mother would never allow it.

As the three women worked on hemming handkerchiefs, Aria made a lighthearted comment about how incredibly tedious sewing was.

Her mother responded harshly, "A woman always carries out her duties, regardless of any aversion she may hold against them. You are much like your father, unaware of your place in society." She said with heavy disapproval.

Aria shared a look with Maddie, both unsure of what to say. At that moment, her father walked in with a glazed look in his eyes, passing them without a word, and walking out the door. Ella barely acknowledged his presence until after his departure, giving a murderous look to the door.

"Where is papa off to, mother?" Madeleine asked. "It's almost dinnertime."

"What your father does is none of your business, Madeleine." She said, adding in a darker tone, "And apparently none of mine."

Aria and her sister learned to keep their mouths closed after that, sewing in silence before lunch and bath. By mid evening, Aria felt her eyes droop with fatigue and decided to turn in early. She'd just closed her eyes when a commotion outside woke her up. Jumping out of bed, Aria ran to her window and almost recoiled after what she saw. Her father was repeatedly striking a man with his fist, shouting at him relentlessly. Clad in just a nightgown, Aria hurried down the stairs and outside in a state of panic. She had never seen her father like this.

"She's my daughter, you imbecile!"

"Father! FATHER! What are you doing?" She screamed as she ran towards him.

Her father stopped in midswing, as if suddenly realizing where he was.

"Aria?" He slurred uncertainly. She couldn't believe it. Her father was drunk.

"WILL!" Aria hollered in a shaky voice. She needed help, a girl of seventeen was hardly equipped to deal with a drunk father and an injured man. She couldn't even look at the man, thinking he would probably look ghastly, a sight she wasn't used to.

Will came bursting out the door at her call, and his eyes widened at the scene unveiling in front of him. In quick motion, he grabbed Byron and steadied him.

"Miss Aria, please go back to bed. I will take care of it from here." He said in a calm voice, making his way inside with her father.

"But what about the man?" Aria asked.

"I'll make sure he goes home. With a blank memory." He replied, already inside.

"Will!" She gasped in disbelief.

By then, the door had shut behind him and Aria was left alone with the man. She couldn't leave him in such a state, especially after what Will had said about making him forget what her father had done. He let out a little moan. Aria forced herself to look at him.

"Mr. Fitz?" She cried, bending down to where he lay on the ground. "Mr. Fitz!"

Though he was conscious, his bloody mouth prevented him from replying. Aria couldn't fathom her father hitting a tutor for he respected educators. Yet he had. And then she recalled what he'd been saying while doing it._ She's my daughter, you imbecile!_ It couldn't be. Could her father somehow know about her infatuation with Mr. Fitz? Did he think it was the tutor's fault?

Aria tried not to think about it as she carefully wrapped her arms around his torso, trying to lift him up. This was the closest she'd been with any man but now was not the time to dwell on that. After attempting to lift him a couple of times, she gave up and called for Will.

When Will came out, he saw her tear-stricken face and immediately rushed over.

"He's my tutor, Will." She said in between sobs. "You have to help him."

"Miss Aria, it's not as serious as you think. This kind of thing happens all the time in downtown. I've seen it. He'll be fine." He assured her.

But Aria would have none of it. "Will, we need to get him inside, please! He needs to be treated by a doctor."

Will studied her face for a split second, and finally nodded. He could tell she really cared for this tutor of hers.

"He doesn't need a doctor Miss Aria, but I'll carry him upstairs to your room and we'll have Gene take a look, alright?" He said softly.

Aria nodded, wiping her tears away and Will carried Mr. Fitz in while Aria ran for the servants' quarters. She woke Genevieve and together, they scurried up to Aria's room.

Genevieve took one look at Mr. Fitz and began barking out orders.

"Will, get me some old cloths and ice from the kitchen. Miss Maddie, I'll need you to fetch some water from the pail in the washroom. Miss Aria, go put on a respectable dress."

Amidst everything that was happening, Aria hadn't noticed her little sister hovering in the doorway. Or that she was practically naked, wearing only a nightgown.

Fleeing to Maddie's room to change, Aria tried her best at putting on a pale green afternoon dress. She had some difficulty, for gowns were not made for individual donning. By the time she had managed to get it on and return to her room, everyone had left except for a much healthier looking Mr. Fitz, who remained lying on her bed.

He turned his head at the sound of her footsteps and gave her a crooked smile.

"You've put on some clothes, I see." He said with a wink.

The man's audacity never failed to sway her. Aria's eyes grew big and her mouth fell ajar.

"Yes." she finally managed to squeak out, still embarrassed.

"I've embarrassed you, haven't I? Sorry, I forget my place sometimes. It's a lot more relaxed, where I live."

He was obviously feeling much better. Aria walked to the bed and sat on the chair beside it.

"That's alright, your uncouth behavior is forgiven. Just ensure it doesn't happen again." _Unless you really want it to,_ she thought naughtily.

"It look a lot more relaxed where you live." Aria said with a smile.

Mr. Fitz raised an eyebrow. "And you would know this how? Have you been off gallivanting after the tutor, Miss Aria?" He covered his uncouth mouth. "There I go again. My apologies."

Aria felt the redness on her cheeks but decided to have a little fun of her own.

"Perhaps I was, Mr. Fitz." She responded with a slight smirk before looking back to ensure no one had magically appeared at the door. If her mother caught her being this forward….

Mr. Fitz let out a deep chortle. He didn't seem shocked at all by her reply.

"I saw you the other night, from our carriage." Aria explained. "You were pushing a little boy on a swing."

"Ah, yes. That would be Jonah, my nephew. His fever was the reason I couldn't make it this morning. Come late afternoon, he was all better. Which was why I thought I'd better trek over here and ensure I still had a job. Only to be attacked by your father, of course. It appears he mistook me for someone named Ellison." Mr. Fitz chuckled lightly.

Aria inwardly sighing with relief as she did. Jonah was just his nephew and her father didn't know about her infatuation. The only question that remained was regarding the whole Ellison deal. But that she would save for her mother.

"Anyway, I think I've overstayed my welcome, Aria. I promised your maid that I would leave as soon as you came back." Mr. Fitz winced as he rose from her bed.

Aria reached out her hand, as if to stop the pain. "I can't let you go like this! Gene only said that because my mother would have a fright if she caught the tutor in my bed. But I'll have a chat with her right now, you sit tight."

"Aria-"

"Lie down, Mr. Fitz." She interrupted, gently pushing him down on the bed. He stared at her hands as they lowered his shoulders. This, this touch, he had not expected. Aria could see the blatant astonishment in his eyes and gave him a wicked smile before retreating to her mother's room.

Aria walked in to find her mother sewing in front of the vanity. Lately, it seemed that was all she ever did.

"Mother, I didn't know you were still awake."

Ella's head snapped up. Her face looked incredibly weary.

"Yes well, after that episode with your father, one can hardly sleep. Did William send the man home?"

So she knew about the incident. And had sat here sewing the whole time.

"Mr. Fitz is in no condition to go home. He must stay the night."

Ella got up from the rocking chair and shook her head decisively.

"Absolutely not. I will not-"

"Mother, listen." Aria said in a firm voice. "If Mr. Fitz was to go out now, people would see him and people would talk. Is that what you really want? A scandal?"

Her mother stared at her hard. When had her daughter become like this?

"Very well." She said at last. "He may sleep in one of the guest rooms until the early morn when he is to leave unnoticed. I would have him in the servants' quarters but your father would have a heart attack if an _educator_ was treated with such disrespect."

"After what he did, mother?" Aria asked in disbelief. "That was disrespect in the greatest manner! And there is no excuse for it, regardless of whether or not his drunkard self misidentified my tutor as Ellison. Which is ridiculous in itself, because they look nothing alike."

Ella's eyes widened at Ellison's name. She grabbed Aria by the shoulders. "Who told you he thought it was Ellison? You must not tell anyone about that, Aria. Do you hear me? That man has already caused this family enough trouble."

"You're scaring me mother! What trouble did he cause?"

Ella stopped let go of Aria and straightened her posture. "The less you know about this, the less likely anyone else will hear. Do as you're asked and don't mention any of this to anyone. Do you understand?"

Aria knew it was pointless to argue at this point, and nodded. Closing the door behind her, she went back to her room.

"I'm back." She said in an overly cheerful voice. Mr. Fitz could sense the tension in her voice but pretended otherwise.

"And your face says you're delighted to see me." He replied with a smirk. It was as if he was always prepared with a witty response.

"Well, that and the fact that mother says you can stay." He lifted his head as she fluffed the pillows underneath. "I'll just move to another room, and you can stay in here. Will your family worry if you don't make it back tonight?"

"No, they'll just assume I've fallen asleep at some library or other. I tend to do that."

Aria shook her head smiling. "I reckon Jonah will miss you though. I could tell he really favours your company. His mother knows it too, I saw her smiling at you two from the verandah."

"His mother?" Mr. Fitz asked, confused. "You couldn't have seen his mother, Aria. My sister and her husband died in a carriage accident. As did my parents." He looked away suddenly, not wanting her to see the pain in his eyes.

"Oh no." Aria whispered, taking his hand in hers. "I'm so sorry." Mr. Fitz looked down at their conjoined hands, but she didn't let go. He tightened their grasp and looked back into her eyes.

"Thank you, Aria. It was a few years ago, but it's still fresh in my mind. I haven't really been able to mourn. Jonah needs me to stay strong."

Aria nodded with sympathy. "How did you manage all on your own?"

"Well, I had help from my friend's family. They took us in fortunately. There was a condition though." He added, his tone taking a harsh turn.

"What was that?" Aria asked, searching his eyes for clues.

Mr. Fitz faltered as he answered. "I was to marry their daughter, my childhood friend. That woman you saw the other night? That was Jacqueline…my fiancée."


	3. Chapter 3

01/03/2012

**Hello lovelys! I am so sorry that I left this story unattended and completely failed at updating it. I take full responsibility! However, I've made it a loooong chapter for you guys so that you may forgive me in time haha. On a serious note, there are certain aspects of this chapter that allude to/were inspired by my life and the people in it. What I mean to say is that this chapter came from a deeper place and I hope that's reflected in my writing. Maybe it'll connect to some of you as well. **

**PS I'm tired and can't bring myself to read this over, so please forgive me for any grammatical errors! Here's to Chapter Three! x**

A fortnight had passed and still the incident lingered in Aria's mind. Since then, the air had changed between them. Where there had been sly smiles and flirtations, there were now formal exchanges. Where there had been casual conversation and light banter, there were now awkward silences. In short, Aria and Mr. Fitz had become strangers.

It was on a stormy Saturday afternoon that this all changed. Aria wasn't sure if he would show up in such a storm, but she prepared for the poetry lesson anyhow. She had recently graduated from the Petrarchan sonnet to Shakespeare, and so settled in to read his famous collection of sonnets. Mr. Fitz couldn't get his hands on a bound book, so he had taken to writing down all of the poems he could remember, and then binding them himself. The inside cover read "For a special lady." Mr. Fitz never told Aria that it was all for her sake, that she was the dedicatee. The first time that she read the inscription on the inside cover was also her last, for she assumed that it was for Jacqueline.

Upon finishing Shakespeare's poems, Aria found herself lonelier than ever. She hated them for they were all about love. As heartbreak has it, it seemed like lately everything existed to remind her of that very being she couldn't have. His presence always seemed to linger in her room, though he had only been there but once. During the moments when it felt too overbearing, she retreated to the loft, her sanctuary. This is where Aria found herself that afternoon, having some time to spare before the lesson. She sat by the open window, letting the cold wind dance around her face as falling rain drops mingled with her salty tears. As the wind took a violent turn and the clouds turned a hazy purple, she got worried that he wouldn't show. Though that spark was no longer there, her longing remained. It was shameful, really. At that moment, Aria caught sight of a silhouette making his way through the gates of the estate.

xx

Aria closed her eyes and listened to Mr. Fitz recite Shakespeare. He had a way with eloquence, and knew exactly when to pause and when to pronounce. His reading was melodic.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day," He read, looking up from his text and noticing that she was listening blindly. He studied her face as he recited off by heart, cherishing every second that he could gaze at it without getting caught. "Thou art more lovely and more temperate."

Aria felt eyes on her and abruptly opened hers. Mr. Fitz maintained his gaze and smiled at her.

"You know, I am fairly certain Shakespeare wrote this poem for me. Much of his earlier sonnets were about a fair lad and quite frankly..." He pointed to himself with a cheeky grin, "was there ever a finer male speciman?"

Aria gave him a tight smile. Her tutor waited for a sharp-witted response, but his pupil remained silent.

Mr. Fitz sighed, rising from his seat. He walked over to a bookshelf and stared at it a moment before turning around. "Aria, how long are we going to carry on this way? I mean, I don't understand why you've shut me out. I thought we were friends."

"Friends?" Aria asked bitterly. "Friends?" With more force. She stood up in a rage and made her way to the bookshelf with purpose. Without pause, she pushed his body against it, and kissed him with fiery passion.

Breaking away, she stared at his shocked face and let out a shaky breath. "I don't feel like a friend."

The shrill voice of her mother interrupted their moment, and Aria stepped away from Mr. Fitz just as Mrs. Montgomery opened the door. It seemed as if she always nearly caught them in compromising situations.

"Ah, Mr. Fitz. You will need you to stay past the hour today. You see, my daughter here has yet to learn the Gigi, and seeing as how we are hosting a soiree within the coming week, it is imperative that she masters it. Now, I understand that this dance is quite the rage amongst you common folk, so I presume you know it."

"With all due respect, Mrs. Montgomery, I'm afraid…" He hesitated. "I'm afraid I can't dance with Aria."

Aria felt her heart drop. He couldn't even look at her. Her worst fear was a reality; he didn't feel the same way about her.

Mrs. Montgomery raised her eyebrows and appraised the lowly tutor who dared deny her orders. "I'm afraid that wasn't a request, Mr. Fitz." She said coolly. "And your career depends on it." She smiled at him sweetly. "That will be all."

Turning on her heel, she made for the door. "Aria, darling. The state of your appearance is distressing. Have Genevieve redo your hair after your dance lesson." And with that, she was gone.

The discomfited silence that ensued was deafening. Ezra finally cleared his throat. "Right, well I'll put on some music then." He set out to find the record player and music soon filled the room.

He made his way to an unnaturally still Aria. "So, you place your hand on my shoulder like so and-"

"Stop." Aria said, breaking his grasp.

"Aria-"

"No, just…leave. Please, I will teach myself. I don't want to keep you here against your will and frankly, I don't want you here and-" She swallowed the gulp forming in her throat, and pursed her lips in an effort to stop the tears.

"Aria-Aria, shhh." Mr. Fitz put his arms around her and brought her close, gently swaying to the music. She gave in and sobbed silently against his chest.

"To love that well which thou must leave, ere long." _(Paraphrased: to love that which you must give up before long). _Aria paused at his words, and lifted her head to look at him. Mr. Fitz took her face in his hands and seemed to memorize it. Finally, he leaned down and kissed her tenderly.

"Goodbye, Aria."

And with a final bid farewell, he left her all alone.

xx

"Miss Aria! MISS ARIA!" Aria woke with a groan. Genevieve high-pitched call was positively earsplitting.

"It is not like me to wake you like zis," Actually, it was like her. "but today is a big day!"

Aria's groan only grew louder as she remembered what today was. Today was the day before her mother's grand soiree. Today would be dedicated to countless hours of dress fittings, hair appointments, accompanying Will to bakeries and patisseries, and lastly, the final installment of the girls' dance lessons. Ordinarily, Aria enjoyed the pampers preceding a formal event. But ever since her last encounter with Mr. Fitz a week ago, the only activity she wished to indulge in was sleep.

Forcing her sleep-laden body to cooperate, she went through the morning motions and after getting dressed with Genevieve, met her sister Maddie, and their driver, Will at the door.

Will welcomed her with a smile but Maddie pointed at a pocket watch meaningfully. "Delighted to have you join us, lady Aria. Would Her Highness desire being carried to the carriage?"

"As a matter of fact, she would." Aria retorted.

Will laughed at their banter just as Mrs. Montgomery walked into the foyer. She appeared dismal and haggard, quite unlike herself.

"Where are you all off to?" She asked.

Aria quirked an eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean, mother? It's the day before the soiree, is it not?"

Her mother gave her blank look.

"Mother," Maddie said gently, taking some steps toward her. "Did you just wake up? You're disoriented. We're off for our appointments for the soiree." Their mother frowned, as if trying to recall. "That you're hosting." Maddie continued, her voice faltering slightly. "Tomorrow, remember?"

Recognition flooded into Mrs. Montgomery's face and a dark look captured her eyes. "Oh. No, you can't go yet. I must…I must talk to Aria beforehand."

Her voice had changed and Aria almost couldn't grasp what it was she heard in it. And then she realized that it was fear. Something she'd always thought her mother was incapable of.

"What is it, mother?" Aria forced herself asked, disguising her own fear in a calm voice.

"Will, tend to the horses. Aria and Madeline, follow me into the gallery."

The gallery was the hidden balcony in their mother's room. The place where family secrets were exchanged and kept. When they arrived, Aria's mother locked the door behind them and drew the curtains enclosing the balcony.

"Girls, what I'm about to tell you, I've…I've done everything in my power to make it so that it could never be a reality, so that I would never have to tell you about it. But to no avail." She took a shaky breath, and instinctively, Aria reached out to hold her mother's hand. They were oh so cold.

"Your father, has been battling a deep depression for the past few years. No matter what anyone tells you, it is not his fault. We all have our misfortunes and this is his. My hope is that in the future, they will recognize that it is an illness and not…not his fault." She broke into tears and Maddie moved across the table to hold her mother in embrace. "You both get it from him, you know. Your ability to be so intimate. I'm sorry that I haven't been that type of mother to you girls."

"Oh mumsy," Aria murmured.

Mrs. Montgomery held her girls and continued.

"Your father began drinking after that Ellison Werther lured him into one of those filthy taverns, promising it would make his desolation disappear. Soon afterwards, he fell into gambling. And there was nothing I, a mere woman, could do about it. He couldn't prevent himself from going no matter how hard he tried, because it distracted him from his pain. Except it was momentary and only worsened matters. I didn't understand what he was going through and it seemed that my heated words and menacing threats had the opposite effect; they drove him to the bar." She paused, afraid of what she was to say next.

"Your father usually played against Ellison but he wasn't very good at gambling." She went on in a whisper. "And one day, he risked our fortune. Overcome with panic, he begged Ellison to pardon his loss."

Her tone took a turn for the bitter. "That man," she spit out, "agreed to excuse him on condition that your father gave him the hand of his eldest daughter."

Aria felt herself freeze. Her mother's tear-stricken face quivered. "I worked so hard to find you a wealthy, kindly suitor, Aria. So that my daughters would not have to go through the humiliation I endured as a poor maiden, being declined time after time by wealthy men who only wanted to wed wealthier women than themselves. Because I thought, if you were married into a prosperous household, then it wouldn't matter if we were impoverished; you could become Maddie's guardian and then she would have no trouble marrying. But I have failed."

Tears rolled down Aria's face as she realized what her mother was telling her; that her parents would sacrifice their wealth for her happiness. They knew that she would never be happy with the scoundrel, Ellison and hadn't even considered asking her to marry him in order to keep their wealth.

Mrs. Montgomery blew her nose and fixed her posture. "But I will not let him tear our family apart. We may have to let go of the help, and make sacrifices here and there, but your father has found a job as a journalist and we will make ends meet. As for your marriages, well, you have a final shot tomorrow at the soiree. No one else knows about this yet. We will not declare defeat-"

Aria could read through her mother's hopelessly false optimism and knew that the situation was a lot more bleak than she was letting on. Journalists made next to nothing, and the idea that Aria could marry a gentleman and then adopt Maddie was absurd, unheard of. There were plenty of men who admired Aria but if her mother had failed at securing any one of them for marriage, that meant that word about her family's state of affairs had been exposed.

"No, mother. I'll marry him."

"Aria, you will do no such thing." Her mother argued. Maddie followed suit.

"Listen, I don't mind marrying Ellison. I want to do this, mother. I think…I think I kind of fancy him as well."

Aria thought about the only man she had ever fancied, thought about how she would likely never see him again. If she couldn't be with him, then it didn't really matter who she married. And if by wedding Ellison she would helping her family, then at least there was reason to marry at all.

"You listen to me, Aria. I forbid you from marrying that man. You may think you are doing your family a favor but neither your father nor I, could live with ourselves if we ever sacrificed our daughter's life for such an insignificant thing such as money."

Aria almost laughed; money was likely one of the most insignificant things in her mother's life.

"Mother," she replied in a strange, calm voice. "Marriage is between a man and a woman, not between a man and her mother. I shall send my approval with one of the workboys immediately. Maddeline, call for Will. We must needs leave now if we are to be prepared in time for my engagement party. Which will be in the form of tomorrow's soiree."

Mrs. Montgomery appeared shell-shocked while Maddie looked into Aria's eyes as if she could read them. "Very well, Aria. I'll see you downstairs."

After kissing her stunned mother's cheek and beckoning for Genivieve to tend to her, she made her way to the carriage. The day resumed in a tumultuous manner, and by the end of all the fittings and appointments, the girls were positively knackered. They were on the way home when Maddie made an odd request.

"Will, the night is still early and mother won't be expecting us home for a few hours." She called out from the window. "Would you mind making a stop? It's just around this bend, here."

Aria knew where they were going even before they rounded the corner. She grabbed her sister's shoulders. "Maddie, what are you doing?"

"He needs to know, Aria. If you really think that you can marry anyone but him, then he needs to know." She said firmly.

"You knew." Aria said, reclining back into her cushion.

"Yes, any fool could see how madly in love you were with him." She said with a hint of a sad smile.

"Maddie, if you really think bringing me here is going to change my mind, you are sadly mistaken. He's engaged too. To another woman." Aria said bitterly.

"I know that. I've read your diaries." She waited for a scolding but Aria remained quiet. "And the only way we can see if you'll change your mind or not, is if you see him in person."

"Even If I were to, it would do no good. I've already acquiesced to being Mrs. Werther."

Maddie shuddered. "Please don't call yourself that. Not just yet. You're not married until you're married."

"Maddie, this is a stupid idea. Which sane person visits her tutor at this time of night? They're not expecting us, we can't just charge in unannounced."

"Despite your poor faith in my intelligence, I have thought this through, sister. I have a plan. Follow me."

And before Aria could stop her, Maddie hopped off the carriage, asking Will to pick them up in two hours time. Will simply nodded and wished Aria well. _Did everyone know about her infatuation for Mr. Fitz?_ She thought, as she followed her senseless sister down the path to his house.

She met her at the doorway just as Maddie began to knock. A middle-aged woman came to the door with a questioning look in her eyes. The look soon turned into surprise as she realized who the girls were.

"Miss Aria! Miss Madeline! What a pleasure to meet your acquaintances! Come in, come in! Ezra, you won't believe who's here!" She ushered them in to the living room and waved her maid over. "Greta, get these girls appetizers and drinks."

Maddie smiled at their hostess. "We are so very sorry to intrude upon your household at such an hour, but we really had no where else to go. You see, our carriage broke down some streets away and our driver went home on foot to retrieve another. Meanwhile, we were stranded." She laughed gaily. "You can understand, being females, how terrified we were to be out and about on our own."

"Oh of course, dear! We are honoured that you chose to come here!" The woman, who Aria presumed was Jacqueline's mother, was undoubtedly the sort who would go to any length to please and acquaint themselves with the rich.

Aria's heart skipped a beat when she heard Mr. Fitz's voice, and nearly leapt out of her body when he appeared in the flesh and caught sight of her. Neither of them could take their eyes off one another, entranced by the sight of the other. Aria was the first to look away, unable to bear the weight of his gaze. By that time, another figure had appeared behind Mr. Fitz.

"You must be Aria," She said, smiling. "Ezra has told us a lot about you. He adores you." She looked at her fiancé lovingly, but it appeared he only had eyes for their guest.

"I've heard a great deal about you as well, Jacqueline. Congratulations on your engagement." Aria couldn't bring herself to smile but did manage to keep the grimace which kept forcing itself on her face, at bay. "Actually, I have some good news myself. I just got engaged today." She attempted a gay laugh but what came out was a strained and foreign gurgle.

While Jacqueline's mother congratulated her with whoops and cheers, Aria's eyes met Mr. Fitz. The incredibly broken look in his eyes nearly knocked her out. And she wasn't the only one who noticed. Jacqueline, too, observed the exchange.

The evening carried on with small conversation and marital discussion. Ezra Fitz, however, remained silent during the entire ordeal and spared not a glance in Aria's direction. By dinnertime, nothing had changed. They all sat around the dinner table as Mrs. Brooklyn, Mr. Fitz's soon to be mother-in-law, called for Jonah, who Aria recalled, was Mr. Fitz's nephew.

Failing to hear a response, Mrs. Brooklyn sighed. "Ezra, would you please bring him to the table?" She turned to Aria and Maddie with a laugh. "He only listens to his uncle."

Mr. Fitz got up from the table wordlessly and returned with a little boy holding his hand. The resemblance between them was striking. Aria could tell by the way that the little boy grasped onto his hand, that they weren't only close in appearance. For the first time that night, Mr. Fitz spoke.

"You sit right here, alright buddy?" He said gently, pointing to the empty seat beside Maddie. Jonah shook his head no, and whispered in his uncle's ear.

Mr. Fitz sighed.

"He wants to sit beside you, doesn't he, Ezra?" Mrs. Brooklyn asked. "Alright, I don't mind moving. Why don't you sit here beside Aria, and he can sit on your other side, in between you and Jackie. I'll sit by the little dear Madeline." She jabbered on while moving her seat. Aria held her breath as she heard him slowly moving into the chair beside her. His presence was overwhelming, heightened by his distinctive scent. Aria thought of their last kiss. Even though Mr. Brooklyn was away on a business trip, the table was crowded due to the two unexpected guests. This forced Aria and Mr. Fitz to often bump elbows or brush thighs. Each time, Aria's heart fluttered. Not all of the brushes were accidental either.

By the end of dinner, the two hours had nearly spent and Aria began to thank her hosts for their stay, before motioning to Maddie to get ready. She could not stay in this house with him any longer.

"Aria." After all this time, Mr. Fitz finally spoke. Just as she was about to leave. "I still have that book that I borrowed from your library, why don't you come with me and I'll retrieve it for you?"

Aria couldn't remember what book he was referring to, but nodded in agreement. Admittedly, she was disappointed that that's all he'd wanted to say. Not that she had expected anything.

They walked down a corridor and entered a room at the end. Mr. Fitz shut the door behind them and stood a few seconds before turning around.

"If you came here tonight with the intention of hurting me, then you have succeeded." He said angrily. "You've won, Aria. I claim defeat, you broke me-"

"How dare you?" Aria broke in. "How dare you? I never wanted to come here tonight, and even if I did, it wasn't to hurt you. It was to let you know that I was getting engaged. Which was a stupid idea, obviously. I don't see why it should hurt you in any way, you made your feelings toward me perfectly clear when you left, without so much as an explanation." Her voice rose. "Merely saying goodbye doesn't begin to cut it, Ezra." She had unintentionally called him by his name.

"What did you call me?" He asked.

"Ezra." She whispered.

They rushed towards each other and fell into a passionate kiss. Aria gave everything she had into the kiss, not holding anything back. It was unlike anything she had experienced before. It was the most beautiful thing she had experienced.

When they broke apart, she yearned for more. But both of them knew it was over. They were over.

"Aria, I-" Ezra started

"Shhh." Aria held her finger to his lips and looked into his eyes. "I will always love you, Mr. Fitz."

Breaking loose of his embrace, she walked out the door, mentally closing the Ezra Fitz chapter of her life, and preparing to face a future without him. Deep down she knew that Ezra Fitz could never be just a chapter in her life, for he was her entire story.

**Well, that was quite the ride, wasn't it? Fear not, chapter four is currently in my head, just waiting to be written. It will possibly be the epilogue, so if it is, you can sure as hell bet it'll be long. Please review if you enjoyed this chapter! It'll give me motivation to write chapter four sooner *****wink*****.**


	4. Chapter 4

03/22/2012

_January 1900_

Four months had passed since the eve of Aria's engagement to Ellison Werther. Wedding plans were in full swing and Aria had barely a moment to herself. After the initial shock of the unexpected marriage died down, everyone seemed to rejoice in the betrothal of the first Montgomery daughter. Spirits rose from Genevieve to the kitchen staff to the maids and even her father, who for the first time in months seemed to retain some colour from his pallor. Aria's wedding was the talk of the town and it seemed that just about everyone had occupied themselves with some role in making the wedding ceremony a success. The papers had taken to polls on which wedding dress Aria should wear (Hunger Games!), while young girls lined up at the estate gates, vying for a glance at the bride-to-be. It was unexpectedly sensational, yet to Aria, none of it felt right. Though she put on a façade of feigned delight and joy, her insides churned at every reminder of her soon approaching wedding. She did everything she could to distract herself from the pain, preoccupying herself with wedding projects. Time and again, she found herself thinking of Ezra but thanks to time, he appeared less and less in her thoughts. She had lost contact with him after the night she told him of her engagement; the night he had first kissed her. It scared her when she first began forgetting the exact details of his face, reminded her that he was truly a memory of the past. But with time, she learned to accept it. At least, this is what she told herself.

Every night, Aria crept out of the house to catch some time to herself. As the day grew closer, the walks too grew longer. Soon enough, she found herself wandering into town, exploring places she'd never been able to see before. One wintry night before the wedding, Aria walked all the way to the bakery at the far end of town. Surprisingly enough, it was open and she treated herself to a mouthwatering apple danish. As she left the store, the doors chiming, as cold wind nipping at her cheeks, and icing sugar tickled her nose. Aria paused, closing her eyes and wishing with everything she had that she could just live in this moment forever.

The sound of laughter broke the spell, as Aria wondered who in the world could be as crazy as her to be wandering the streets at such a time in such freezing weather. Her eyes met the scene of laughter and a sharp intake of breath ensued. There stood Ezra, across the street, kissing a rosy-cheeked Jacqueline on the cheek as she laughed gaily. They were hand in hand, separated only by the sheer cloth of mittens. And they looked so in love. Aria stood frozen, as did her heart. She had never experienced such crippling pain like this before. All of her feelings resurfaced and slapped her in the face because as she could see now, they no longer mattered to Ezra. He had fallen in love with his fiancée.

"Aria? Aria! Over here!" Jacqueline called out, raising the hand that held Ezra's, beckoning Aria-taunting Aria.

When Aria didn't move or acknowledge the call, Jacqueline came towards her, pulling a silent Ezra along.

"It's so _good _to see you, Aria dear!" She squealed, as if they were best friends. Oh, Aria knew she was glad to see her. Or rather that Aria had seen them. Especially at that moment.

"You're quite the celebrity in town, aren't you?" Jacqueline laughed. "Your wedding is the only thing everyone talks about these days! Except for us of course! We've got our own wedding to plan, don't we Ezzie?" She said, nuzzling his cheek. Aria watched with hollow eyes as Ezra smiled lightly at his fiancée.

"Yes, darling." He turned to Aria. "How have you been, Aria? Keeping up with your studies, I hope?" The polite tone he employed killed her.

Aria simply looked at him. She managed a "Yes," before turning away as tears welled up in her eyes. She heard her name but didn't look back, running away as fast as she could, finding solace in the harsh wind that whipped through her body. The physical pain felt good. She hated herself, hated him, hated everything. When she finally came to a standstill, Aria realized she had nowhere to go. Home was out of the question, and she didn't even know where she was to find her back anyway. Her teeth chattered and her body shook dangerously. Her pea coat was not made for warmth but rather style, and did little to aid her. Unable to walk any longer, she finally sat down on a broken bench. There was not a soul in sight and Aria wondered if these were her final moments. Death didn't seem so terrible at that moment. Though it seemed like eons, it was really a short time before Aria felt the warmth of another human being engulfing her in their arms. She was really too tired to figure out who it was and fell limp in their arms, surrendering to sleep.

Aria awoke on a haystack a couple of hours later. A tiny light shone from a candle, allowing her to make out the sleeping figure next to her. Screaming, Aria jumped, kicking away the foreign coat that lay covering her. Ezra woke with a start, realizing that his hand was grazing Aria's thigh. Duly embarrassed, he pulled away and sat up rubbing his eyes. Aria looked around the little barn, before shivering and pulling the coat closer around her.

"What am I doing here? Did you abduct me?" She demanded.

"What?" Ezra looked shocked. "No, I-"

"No, actually, I'm glad you did. Because if you hadn't, I wouldn't be able to say these words." She looked him dead in the eye. "I hate you," she told him, her voice trembling. Rising from the haystack, she made her way to the door with his coat.

"Aria," He sighed. "Where are you going? There's a snow-"

She opened the latch, and cold snowy wind hit her face.

"storm outside. Please come back, Aria. You'll catch pneumonia."

Determined, Aria walked out, feeling herself sink in heavy snow. Ezra got up and ran after her, coatless.

"Aria! Aria, please come back! It's not safe to go out!"

Aria turned back, but only to throw his coat at him before trudging back into the snow. Realizing he had no choice, Ezra too rushed into the snow, grabbing her from behind and carrying her back into the stable. Aria hit his back, screaming at him to let her go but to no avail. He closed the door firmly behind them and placed her back on the haystack, wrapping her in his coat and bringing the candle closer towards them.

She had fallen silent by this time and simply watched as he lit another candle before facing her. He gave her a look of disapproval.

"Stop trying to kill yourself, Aria."

Thoughts of last night flooded her mind as she recalled his indifferent tone, the kiss he gave Jacqueline. Her eyes flew to the ceiling as she wished she was anywhere but here.

"Now, you're getting married in a couple days and we can't have a sick bride, now can we?"

He pulled the coat tighter around her.

"I'm afraid Jackie would have been greater help to you right now. She's good at this sort of thing but I'll have to do."

"So why isn't she here? Why are you here?" Aria broke in with a cold tone.

Ezra looked to the ground. "She wanted to be here but I didn't want her getting sick too, so I sent her home."

"Oh." Aria replied. So in other words, he was only here to help pathetic Aria get better, but more importantly to get over her pathetic infatuation with him. And Jackie went home safe in the knowledge that her fiancé couldn't possibly fall back in love with such a pathetic girl. It was no wonder he kept mentioning her wedding to another man.

Laughing bitterly, she threw his coat back to him.

"I don't need your pity, Mr. Fitz. Go on home to your perfect little fiancée. She's probably missing your arms around her, gently rocking to and fro as you kiss her forehead and whisper sweet nothings in her ear. Go on. Now is as any good time." She pushed him off the haystack, snuggling back with her own coat. Feigning a yawn, she bid him farewell and turned to face the wall. "Goodbye, Mr. Fitz. Have a good life."

"Aria."

"Please, just stop talking and go. I can't bear any more of your tedious voice."

"Aria." She heard him move closer.

"Just go! Leave, damn it! How else shall I phrase it?"

"Aria." He took her into his arms as she convulsed into tears.

"I hate you." She repeated over and over again, heaving against his shoulders.

"Would Jackie like this? Would she like you holding me this way? Or would she just feel sorry for pathetic Aria? Probably the latter right? Poor Aria, crazy lunatic, still in love with her tutor who couldn't care less about her if he tried."

"Aria." He gasped, holding her back to peer into her eyes. "How could you say that?"

"How could I? How could you? How could you forget about us so quickly? How could you replace me so easily?" She shook her head, her lips trembling.

"I could never forget about you, Aria. You were all I thought of these past months. But when I saw all the buzz and the excitement surrounding your wedding, I realized that you had truly moved on. And that it was time I did too."

"It was surrounding me but did you ever notice that I was never a part of the excitement? Do I look excited to you, Ezra? Do I look like I've moved on? I'm a mess and I'm giving my life away to a man I hate," Her voice broke into a whisper. "and I have never hated myself more."

Aria looked down shamefully. Ezra lifted her chin and stared at her through shiny eyes. "But I don't hate you. I love you, Aria. I always have, and I don't think I can ever stop."

Aria wiped her tears. "So, what do we do?"

"I don't know." Ezra replied. "But I do know that we have now. This snowstorm is a blessing in disguise. We likely have at least another day in here. I've got food with me and we're stranded in. We've got a whole day together, just to ourselves, Aria."

Aria laughed. A real laugh, after what seemed like forever.

"You are very naughty, Mr. Fitz. This is completely inappropriate behavior." She chastised.

"We aren't married yet, my love." He winked. "Would you like to dance?"

She took his hand and they stood close together, humming their favourite song in unison as their feet moved lightly in sync. It was the beginning to a perfect day.


End file.
